Sport Southland Media Release - Southland Children Set To Experience Our Way Of Life

19 January 2012

Sport Southland and Water Safety New Zealand are working together to give Southland children the skills they need to be safe in the water, as part of a nationwide Our Way of Life campaign.

Following the success of Swim Safe Southland’s Learn to Swim programme – a KiwiSport-funded programme run in rural Southland schools – Sport Southland is set to hold a Riverton Water Fun Day on Tuesday (January 24), promoting water safety skills and fun in the water.

The day is part of the Our Way of Life campaign – a partnership between Water Safety New Zealand, New Zealand Post and TVNZ.

Our Way of Life – Riverton Water Fun Day, which is supported by the Riverton Community Charitable Trust, will incorporate various water-based activities throughout the day, including Waka Ama, Surfing, Snorkelling, Paddle Boarding and Yachting, all led by qualified instructors.

Sport Southland sport advisor Tracy Simpson said the day was a chance to highlight the messages promoted through the Our Way of Life campaign.

We really want to encourage Southland children to be involved in aquatic activities – there are a huge number of benefits associated with this – but safety is the priority and that’s the key message,” she said.

“The day is a real community event. It will be fun and the kids will get to enjoy a wide range of activities, which we are excited about being able to offer, and they’ll learn key skills as well – skills that ultimately could save their lives.”

“It’s great to be able to hold this in Riverton – it’s a place unique to Southland with a lot to offer and it enables us to offer a diverse range of activities.”

Sport Southland, alongside Southern REAP, has been heavily involved in the Learn to Swim programme in rural Southland schools. Late last year the programme won a Water Safety New Zealand education award.

Sport Southland sport manager Peter Dunne said he was delighted Sport Southland could continue to work alongside Water Safety New Zealand to teach children essential water-safety skills.

“Ideally we would like to take the Learn to Swim programme to all rural Southland schools and, although we are grateful to have funding from Water Safety New Zealand, KiwiSport and the Southland District Council, we only have enough funding to deliver the programme in one-third of the schools we want to,” he said.

“The water fun day is, for us, another chance to promote water safety to more Southland children.”

Almost 40 children will enjoy the day, with registrations now closed.

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